As the 2026 MLB calendar reaches the summer months, the Chicago White Sox find themselves in a situation not many people expected. In a year many expected to be a building block toward contention in 2027, the White Sox entered June in playoff position and just a couple games out of first place in the AL Central division. The early success has led to conversation about the approach the team will take at the upcoming trade deadline, with many speculating they may buy and attempt to make the playoffs in an underperforming American League. ESPN’s Jeff Passan, in his trade deadline preview this week, mentioned Angels lefty Reid Detmers as a pitcher who could be a good fit for the White Sox if he’s available.
“The weakness is starting pitching depth,” Passan wrote. “Is Chicago good enough to chase a free agent to be like Peralta? Probably not. But a starter with multiple years of control, like Detmers – who would be a perfect fit, and for whom Chicago could dip into a system soon to be infused with the No.1 pick in the draft– or Alcantara or Wacha or Lugo? That makes sense to try to steal a playoff spot this year and, especially in cases of control through 2028 (Detmers, Wacha, and Lugo), for forthcoming seasons.”
Reid Detmers has had a perilous journey but has started to settle in
Reid Detmers, 26, was selected tenth overall by the Angels in the 2020 MLB draft out of University of Louisville. He rose quickly through the Angels farm system, making five appearances in the big leagues the very next year before getting his first full season in the majors in 2022. With a 3.77 ERA in 129 innings in 2022, the Angels hoped Detmers was on track to becoming a frontline starter. Unfortunately, he took a step back, struggling mightily in 2023 and 2024 before settling down in a bullpen role in 2025. Detmers reworked his arsenal this offseason and jumped back into the Angels rotation in 2026, where he’s posted a 4.63 ERA in 12 starts. His ERA mark is a bit deceiving, however, as his xERA is 2.92 and his 28.5% K rate ranks in the top 13% in baseball. He's been better than his traditional stats would tell you.
Reid Detmers now has a no-hitter AND an immaculate inning this season! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/m1cp1Ww17f
— MLB (@MLB) July 31, 2022
Detmers primarily uses his fastball/slider combination to be effective and has added a changeup to his arsenal this season. He’s done a nice job of keeping the walks in check, lowering his walk rate from 9% to 7% this season. Detmers is under team control through 2028, giving any team who trades for him a left-handed rotation option for the next two seasons.
If I’m Chris Getz, this is exactly the kind of player I’m targeting in a deal this deadline. He’s a couple tiers below the top arms like Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta, who will cost a fortune to acquire, but he still has solid metrics and two years of control. If Detmers’ luck starts to even out, he could post even stronger numbers than he has this season and could be a great reliable option moving forward. The Angels sit in last place in the AL West with no signs of turning it around, so there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be open for business at this year’s deadline. The Angels are one of a few teams out of the mix with coveted assets.
There’s still a long way to go before the White Sox need to make a decision about deals at the trade deadline, but the team is on a promising track. The 2026 trade deadline could look quite a bit different than White Sox fans have gotten used to seeing over the past few years.
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